Rear crawler track retrofit for garden and lawn tractors

Abstract

A rearwardly projecting mounting arm is provided for the rear of a lawn or garden tractor and has its forward end secured anchored relatively to the rear drive wheel axle of the tractor. The rear end portion of the mounting arm mounts longitudinal mid-portion of a transverse idle wheel axle therefrom for adjustable positioning of the idle wheel axle longitudinally of the mounting arm and the idle wheel axle includes a pair of opposite end idle wheels journalled therefrom in front-to-rear alignment with drive wheels journalled from the drive axle. The lower peripheral portions of the idle wheels are spaced approximately 1 to 2 inches above the lower peripheral portions of the drive wheels and endless flexible track assemblies are trained about corresponding drive and idle wheels.

What is claimed as new is as follows: 
     
       1. In combination with a tractor of the type including steerable front wheels and a solid transverse rear axle housing journalling opposite side rear driving wheels from opposite ends thereof, a crawler track assembly for said tractor including an elongated mounting arm extending longitudinally of said tractor rearwardly of said housing and including a front end securely anchored and braced relative to said housing and against angular displacement relative thereto, said mounting arm including a rear end disposed and facing rearwardly of said housing, laterally spaced opposite side rear idle wheels disposed in front-to-rear alignment with and spaced rearwardly of said driving wheels, journal means journalling said idle wheels from said rear end about axes located at permanent elevations relative to said housing to position the lower peripheral portions of said idle wheels at elevations visually ascertainable as spaced above a horizontal plane containing the lower peripheral portions of said front and driving wheels, and opposite side endless track assemblies trained about corresponding drive and idle wheels and including guide structures spaced therealong guidingly engaged with the outer peripheral portions of said driving and idle wheels for maintaining said track assemblies trained thereabout. 
     
     
       2. The tractor of claim 1 wherein said journal means includes means operative to adustably shift said axes longitudinally of said mounting arm, whereby the tension of said track assemblies may be adjusted to maintain a friction drive connection between said driving and idle wheels through said track assemblies. 
     
     
       3. The tractor of claim 1 wherein said journal means includes a horizontal transverse axle mounted on the rear end of said mounting arm and upon whose opposite ends said idle wheels are journalled. 
     
     
       4. The tractor of claim 3 wherein said journal means includes means mounting said transverse axle on the rear end of said mounting arm for adjustable shifting longitudinally of said mounting arm. 
     
     
       5. The tractor of claim 1 wherein said endless track assemblies include endless belts trained about corresponding driving and idle wheels and including inner and outer surfaces, said belts including longitudinally spaced channel segments equipped with outwardly divergent arms secured thereto at points spaced longitudinally therealong and with said arms projecting outwardly from said inner surfaces, said channel segments embracingly engaging outer peripheral portions of said idle and driving wheels for guidingly retaining said endless belts trained about said idle and driving wheels. 
     
     
       6. The tractor of claim 5 wherein said endless belts include longitudinally spaced outwardly opening and transversely extending channel-shaped cleats supported therefrom and spaced longitudinally therealong, said channel-shaped cleats projecting outwardly of the outer surfaces of said endless belts. 
     
     
       7. The tractor of claim 6 wherein each of said channel segments includes a corresponding channel cleat, corresponding channel segments and channel-shaped cleats being secured to said endless belts through the utilization of fasteners secured through said belts and a corresponding channel-shaped cleat and channel segment. 
     
     
       8. The tractor of claim 7 wherein said journal means includes means operative to adjustably shift said axes longitudinally of said mounting arm, whereby the tension of said track assemblies may be adjusted to maintain a friction drive connection between said driving and idle wheels through said track assemblies. 
     
     
       9. The tractor of claim 8 wherein said journal means includes a horizontal transverse axle mounted on the rear end of said mounting arm and upon whose opposite ends said idle wheels are journalled. 
     
     
       10. The tractor of claim 1 wherein the lower peripheral portions of said idle wheels are spaced between 1 and 2 inches above said horizontal plane containing the lower peripheral portions of said front and driving wheels.